Billiard table



,Sgpt. 1-1, 1934.

R. E. LINERO BILLIARD TABLE .Filed May 19, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet linventor Sept. 11, 1934.

- R. E. LINERO BILLIARD TABLE Filed May 19, 1933 4 she ets sheet 43nnehtor flabarzalizirzem attorneys.

Patented Sept. 11, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,973,492 lVBILVLQIARD TABLE Roberto LineropNew York', N. Y., assignor or Ione-half to James Polanco, NewYork, NJY.

Application my 19,1933, Serial .No. 671,914

' 7 Claims. (o1. 273 11) The device forming the subject matter of thisapplication is a pool or billiard table, and'one object ofthe inventionis to provide novel means for returning the balls automatically to oneend of I the table. A further object of the invention "is so to locatethe ball-ways that an'attendant will not have to crawlunder the table:to free a ball, should the ball happen to stick in-the ball-way.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for storingthe balls that have been scored by the various players. Anothe'robjectof the invention is to protect the pockets of thetable and to provide aplace where a cigar or cigarette butt may be laid, without burning thetable or the cloth thereon. Still another object of the invention is'toprovide novel means for strengthening and retaining the table. v It iswithin the province of the disclosure to improve generally andtoenhancethe utility of devicesof that type to which the invention appertains. II

With the above and other'objects in "view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within thescope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of theinvention.-

In the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 shows in top plan, a pool tableconstructed in accordance with the invention, parts being broken awayand parts being in section; 35 Fig. 2 is a side elevation;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation; r Fig. 4 is a'section onthe line 4-4 of Fig.3; Fig. 5 is a section on the line '55 of Fig. 1; Fig.6 is a section onthe line 6-6 of Fig.2; Fig. 7 is an end elevation showing a modifica-Fig.8 is a section onthe line 8-8 of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a section on theline 9-9 of Fig. 7.

, Referring to the formjshown in Figs. 1 to '6, the legs 1 of thetableare hollowfa'sshown in Fig. 1. The legs 1 support the platform 2' (Fig.5) of the table top, and on the platform 2 is supported the base 3 ofthe table top, the base ordinarily being made of slate. The inner sidebeams -4 extend between the legs 1 at the sides of the table, and abutagainst the legs, as shown in Fig. 1. Disposed outwardly of the innerside beams 4 are outer side beams 5, parallel to the inner side beams.The ends of the outer side beams 5 over- 55 lap the outer surfaces ofthe legs '1, as,

Fig-1. ,An intermediate end plate 6 (Figs. 1 and 4) is provided, andextends between the legs 4 at one end of the table. Disposed outwardlyof the intermediate end plate 6 are outer end beams 7 (Figs. 1 and 4)Fillers 8 are inter-posed (Fig. 1-) between the outer side beams 5 andthe outer end beam 7 on the one hand, and the legs Ion the other'hand.The fillers'S, the beams '7 and 5, and some parts hereinafter described,are mitered together at the corners of the table.- This explains whysundry parts appear in elevation in Fig. 5, instead of in section. IInverted L-shaped strips 9 (Fig. 4). are provided. The strips 9cextendentirely around. the table. Their upper'horizontal flanges overhang theouter end beam '7 and the outer side beams 5, and bound the platform 2and the base 3 of the tabletop. The vertical, depending flanges of thestrips 9 extenddownwardly, andoverlap the outer end'beam 7Iand the outerside beams 5. L-shaped' finishing pieces 10 extend around the table.Their horizontal bottom flanges extend across the lower edges of thedepending parts of the strips :9, into engagement with the outer endbeam? and the outer side beams .5. The vertical upstanding flangesof thefinishing'pieces 10 surround the strips 9. The upper edges of thevertical flanges of the finishing pieces 10 upstand above the strips 9to form tongues 20 (Fig. 4).

The parts 10 are called finishing pieces because they cover the securingelements (not shown) which hold the upper part of the table together. 0nthe 'upper surfaces of the inwardly'extended, lower, horizontal parts ofthe finishing pieces 10, there are dove-tailed longitudinal tongues 11received in correspondingly shaped longitudinal grooves 12 in the loweredges of the vertical, depending parts of the strips 9.

" Rails 18 are superposed on the strips 9and have longitudinal grooves19 in their lower 'surfaces. The grooves 19 receive the tongues 20 ofthe finishing pieces 10; The dove-tailed tongues 11 and the grooves 12lock the finishing pieces 10 to the strips 9, against downwardmovement,and outward horizontal movement of the upper edges of the vertical partsof the finishing pieces 10 is prevented, because the-tongues 20 at theupper edges of the parts specified are engaged in the grooves 19 of therails 18.: onconsidered from a different view-point, the tongues 20 aidin retaining the rails 18 against outward movement. The cushions "21abut against the inner surfaces ofthe rails 18. The surfacing cloth 22covers the base .3 of the tabletop and cushions 21. .The outer or upperedge of the surfacing cloth 22 is held securely by binding rods 23,seated in recesses 24 in the rails 18.

The inner side beams 4 of the table top are connected intermediate theirends (Fig. 1) by a transverse brace 14 having dove-tailed ends 15engaged with oppositely-projecting brackets 16 on the inner side beams4. Longitudinal braces 17 are connected at their inner ends to theintermediate portion of the brace 14. The outer end of one longitudinalbrace is connected with the intermediate end plate 6, and the outer endof the other longitudinal brace is connected to the opposite end of thetable. Brackets like those shown at 16 in Fig. 1 are employed foranchoring the outer ends of the longitudinal braces 17.

Figure 4 makes it evident that thebraces-14- and 1'? aid in supportingthe table top 2-3.

The side pockets (Fig.6) are formed by recessing the outer side beams 5,the strips Sand the rails 18, and pocket holes are formed in the tabletop 2-3. The side pockets25 communicate with the space between the innerside beams 4 and the outer side beams 5 of Figs. 6 and 1. The cornerpockets 26 (Fig. 5) are formed by recessing the corresponding parts atthe corners of the table. There are blocks 2'7 (Fig. 1) in the upperends of the legs 1, there being Y-shaped chambers 28 in the blocks 27,below the corner pockets 26. These chambers communicate, through thepocket holes 31, formed in the table top 23,'with the corner pockets 26,and with the space between the inner side beams 4 and the outer sidebeams 5, as Fig. 1 will show. Down- Wardly and inwardly inclinedsupports 32, shown in Figs. 1 and 4, extend between the posts. 1, at

the left hand end of the table in Fig. 1, inwardly of the plate 6 at thesaid end of the table. The chambers 28 communicate with the spacebetween the end-plate 6 and. the supports 32. The supports 32 and the.end plate 6 form a ball-way, the bottom 33 oiwhich is carried by theparts 6 and 32, andhas elongated openings 34. The bottom 33 may be madeof rubber or rubber composition, and the bottom slants downwardly andinwardly from the legs 1,.to the median 1ongitudinal vertical plane ofthe table, as Fig. 3 will show. The spaces between the side beams 4 and5 of Fig. 1 form runways for the balls, and theparts .4 and5 carry thebottoms 29 of the runways, the bottoms'being made of rubber or a rubbercompound, and having elongated openings 35. Figure 2 shows that the siderunways have a slight downward slant toward the corner pockets at theleft hand end of the table in Fig. 1.

As shown in Figs. 3, 1 and 4, a supplemental plate 36 is located betweenthe intermediate end plate 6 and the outer end beam 7, at the left handend of the table in Fig. 1, and is of the same height as the plate 6.Bottom strips 37 (Fig. 3) extend between the end plate 6 and thesupplemental'plate 36, and form two superposed horizontal spaces. Theuppermost of these spaces is divided into two compartments by a verticalpartition 40, shown in Fig. 3. The lower of the said spaces is dividedinto two compartments by a partition 41, shown in Fig. 4. The partition41 is considerably wider than the partition 40. Access is had to thefour compartments above mentioned, through the openings 38' in thesupplemental plate 36. Figure 4 shows that there is an opening 42through the partition 41. The opening 42 communicates at its inner endwith the runway between the supports 32 and the intermediate'end plate6. The bottom of the opening 42 is closed (Fig. 4) by a tray 43 whichextends outwardly beyond the end of the table, as shown in Fig. 1. Atits upper edge, the tray 43 is provided with a finishing strip 44,preferably made of metal. Figures 5, 6 and 4, show that the pockets atthe corners of the table are covered by metal protectors 45 secured at46 within the pockets, and extending downwardly over the rails 18 andthe finishing pieces-10. The members -45 carry outstanding,trough-shaped receivers 47 in which a cigar butt or the like can beplaced.

A drawer 48 (Fig. 4) slides through the outer beam 7,,the plate 36, andthe intermediate end plate 6 and is adapted for the storage of the poolballs. I r

In practical operation, the balls received in the corner pockets 26 atthe right hand end of the table, or the balls received in the sidepockets 25, pass into the inclined runways formed be tween the parts 4and 5 and by the bottoms 29, and are delivered through the Y-shapedchambers 28 of the blocks 27 intothe downwardly and inwardly inclinedrunways formed by the parts 6, 32 and 33 of Fig. 1. In a similar way,the balls passing into the corner. pockets 26 at the left hand end ofthe table in Fig. 1, are received in the chambers 28 and pass into therunways formed atv the end'of the table, by the members 6, 32 and 33.The balls roll inwardly and downwardly, along the runways formed by theparts 6, 33 and 32 and pass through the hole 42, into the tray 43. Theballs are picked out of the tray 43, and are inserted throughtheopenings 38 (Fig. 3) into the several storage compartments formedbetweenthe members 6 and 36, and in this'way, each player can keeptrack of hisown balls. All of the balls may be stowed away in the drawer 48. i

The construction is such that the player does not haveto pick up-hisballs and carry them some distance to a receptacle near the cue-rack(not shown) The balls,.rather, may be taken care of conveniently'byputting them into the proper compartments at the end of the table. It isto-be observed that the several runways, such as the runways formedbetween the parts 4 and 5, of Fig. 1, or between the parts 32 and 6 ofFig.

1, are located at the edgeof the table and are built into the rails ofthe table. Owing to the fact that the runways are conveniently located,it is not necessary for the attendant to crawl under the table if theballs happen to stick in the runways. All that the operator has to do isto reach under the edge of the table, and loosen up the balls, byputting his fingers through the side slots or openings 35 of Fig. 1, orthrough the corresponding end openings 34 inv the downwardly andinwardly-inclined runways at the end of the table. The danger of burningeither the table or the billiard cloth or anything else, by cigar orcigarette butts, is avoided, because the butts can be laid convenientlyin the receivers 4'7 at the corner of the table.

In Figs. '7, 8 and 9, parts hereinbefore described have been designatedby numerals previously used, with the sufiix a. The legs 1a. at theworking end of the table are joined by rails 49. In the legs in thereare lower partitions 51 and upper partitions 50. The partitions 50 and51 form receiving compartments 52 for the balls. The spaces above thepartitions 50 form storage compartments 53 forthe balls. The balls enterthe receiving compartments 52 through holes 54 in the legs. The ballsare taken out of the receiving compartments 52 throu holes 55 in thouter sides of the legs, and are placed in the storage compartments 53,through holes 56 in the outer sides of the legs. The side runways 5w-29a4a deliver the balls from the side pockets, and from the cornerpocket at the right hand end of the table in Fig. 1, through the holes54 into the receiving compartments 52. The balls from the corner pocketsat the left hand end of the table in Fig. 1 are delivered into the siderunways through chutes 57, and therefore find their way into thereceiving compartments 52. The chutes 57 comprise side walls 58,connected by a bottom 59 having openings 60, like the open ings 35 ofFig. l.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A pool table comprising an outer beam, an inverted L-shaped stripextended across the top of the beam and downwardly along the outside ofthe beam, an L-shaped finishing piece extended downwardly along theoutside of the strip and under the strip, the bottom portion of thefinishing piece and the bottom portion of the strip having longitudinal,interengaged, tongue and groove, dove-tailed elements, a cushionsuperposed on the strip, and a table top bounded by the upper portion ofthe strip.

2. A pool table comprising an outer beam, an inverted L-shaped stripextended across the top of the beam and downwardly along the outside ofthe beam, an inverted L-shaped finishing piece extended under the stripand upwardly on the outside of the strip, above the upper surface of thestrip, to form a tongue, a cushion superposed on the strip and having agroove receiving the tongue, and a table top bounded by the upperportion of the strip.

3. A pool table comprising an outer beam, an inverted L-shaped stripextended across the top of the beam and downwardly along the outside ofthe beam, an L-shaped finishing piece extended under the strip, andupwardly on the outside of the strip, to a point above the upper surfaceof the strip, to form a tongue, the bottom portion of the finishingpiece and the bottom portion of the strip having longitudinal,interengaged, dovetailed, tongue and groove elements, a cushionsuperposed on the strip and having a groove receiving the tongue, and atable top bounded by the upper portion of the strip.

4. A pool table having side and corner pockets and comprising a top,hollow legs supporting the top, a frame bounding the top, partitions inthe legs and defining receiving compartments and storage compartmentslocated above the receiving compartments, the legs being provided ontheir outersides with openings giving access to the compartments,inclined runways built into the frame and leading from the side pocketsto the receiving compartments, and inclined chutes built into the frameand leading from the corner pockets to the runways.

5. A pool table embodying hollow legs, a frame carried by the legs, anda top on the frame; the frame embodying inner and outer side beamslocated close to the outer edges of the table, and connections joiningthe legs at the ends of the table, bottom members mounted on the innerand outer side beams and forming side runways discharging into the legs,the top having side pockets communicating with the runways, and cornerpockets communicating with the legs, a tray carried by one of theconnections between the legs, transverse runways leading from the legsat one end of the table and discharging into the tray, and means withinthe legs for directing balls from the side runways and from the cornerpockets into the transverse runways.

6. A pool table constructed as set forth in claim 5, and furthercharacterized by the fact that the bottoms of the side runways areprovided throughout their entire length with openings, the provision ofsaid openings, and the location of the runways close to the edges of thetable making it possible for an operator to get access to the balls inthe side runways without crawling under the table.

7. A pool table comprising hollow legs, a top carried by the legs andhaving pockets communicating with the legs, an intermediate end plateconnecting the legs at one end of the table, a supplemental plateconnecting the legs at said .end of the table and located outwardly ofthe runways leading from the legs toward the longitudinal center of thetable, means in the legs for directing balls from the pockets into therun-

